Drug Facts - Steroids

Overview

Anabolic steroids were developed in the late 1930s
primarily to treat hypogonadism, a condition in
which the testes do not produce sufficient
testosterone for normal growth, development, and
sexual functioning. The primary medical uses of
these compounds are to treat delayed puberty, some
types of impotence, and wasting of the body caused
by HIV infection or other diseases.

During the 1930s, scientists discovered that
anabolic steroids could facilitate the growth of
skeletal muscle in laboratory animals. This led to
abuse of these compounds by bodybuilders and
weightlifters and then by athletes in other sports.

Anabolic steroids can be taken orally, injected
intramuscularly, or rubbed on the skin when in the
form of gels or creams. These drugs are often used
in patterns called cycling, which involves taking
multiple doses of steroids over a specific period of
time, stopping for a period, and starting again.
Users also frequently combine several different
types of steroids in a process known as stacking. By
doing this, users believe that the different
steroids will interact to produce an effect on
muscle size that is greater than the effects of
using each drug individually.

Another mode of steroid use is "pyramiding." This is
a process in which users slowly escalate steroid use
(increasing the number of drugs used at one time
and/or the dose and frequency of one or more
steroids) reaching a peak amount at mid-cycle and
gradually tapering the dose toward the end of the
cycle.

Extent of Use

Results from the 2008 Monitoring the Future Study,
which surveys students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth
grades, show that 1.4% of eighth graders, 1.4% of
tenth graders, and 2.2% of twelfth graders reported
using steroids at least once in their lifetimes.

Regarding the ease by which one can obtain steroids,
16.8% of eighth graders, 24.5% of tenth graders, and
35.2% of twelfth graders surveyed in 2008 reported
that steroids were "fairly easy" or "very easy" to
obtain. Furthermore, 60.8% of twelfth graders
surveyed reported that using steroids was a "great
risk.”

Approximately 0.6% of college students and 1.7% of
young adults (ages 19–28) surveyed in 2007 reported
lifetime use of steroids.

Health Effects

Anabolic steroid abuse has been associated with a
wide range of adverse side effects ranging from some
that are physically unattractive, such as acne and
breast development in men, to others that are life
threatening. Most of the effects are reversible if
the abuser stops taking the drug, but some can be
permanent. In addition to the physical effects,
anabolic steroids can also cause increased
irritability and aggression.

Some of the health consequences that can occur in
both males and females include liver cancer, heart
attacks, and elevated cholesterol levels. In
addition to this, steroid use among adolescents may
prematurely stop the lengthening of bones resulting
in stunted growth.

People who inject steroids also run the risk of
contracting or transmitting hepatitis or HIV.13 Some
steroid abusers experience withdrawal symptoms when
they stop taking the drug. These withdrawal symptoms
include mood swings, fatigue, restlessness, loss of
appetite, insomnia, reduced sex drive, and
depression. This depression can lead to suicide
attempts, and if left untreated, can persist for a
year or more after the abuser stops taking the
drugs.

Production & Trafficking

Illicit anabolic steroids are often sold at gyms,
competitions, and through mail operations after
being smuggled into this country.15 The most common
sources for obtaining steroids for illegal use are
Internet purchases and smuggling them into the U.S.
from other countries such as Mexico and European
countries. These countries do not require a
prescription for the purchase of steroids, making it
easier to smuggle them.16 In addition to this,
steroids are also illegally diverted from U.S.
pharmacies or synthesized in clandestine
laboratories.

Legislation

Concerns over a growing illicit market and
prevalence of abuse combined with the possibility of
harmful long-term effects of steroid use led
Congress to place anabolic steroids into Schedule
III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in
1991.18 It is therefore illegal to possess or sell
anabolic steroids without a valid prescription. Some
States have also implemented additional fines and
penalties for illegal use of anabolic steroids.

The International Olympic Committee, National
Collegiate Athletic Association and many
professional sports leagues (including the Major
League Baseball, National Basketball Association,
National Football League, and National Hockey
League), have banned the use of steroids by athletes
due to their potentially dangerous side effects and
because they give the user an unfair advantage.